SOS to assemblywoman: We think you broke the law, but you can just make a charitable donation

Friday, April 16, 2010 | 1:57 p.m.

Secretary of State Ross Miller, in a stipulation agreed to with Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, agreed to allow her to donate a little more than $7,000 to charity as opposed to being sanctioned for illegally using campaign funds for personal use. The stipulation suggests Miller believes her payments to PERS are a "personal obligation" and that conclusion "could be sustained" in court. But because she did not make the payments "in bad faith" because she disclosed it on her campaign form, she simply has to donate the funds to charity.

Both officials are Democrats.

See the stipulation at right.